Amy Bryzgel, Professor of Film and Visual Culture, University of Aberdeen For his latest work at the international Art Basel fair, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan bought a banana, duct-taped it to the wall of the gallery and called it Comedian. Over the weekend, American artist David Datuna upped the ante when he created a performance […]
The Healing Power of Dance
When a body moves, it’s the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I’ll tell you who you are. (Mikhail Baryshnikov) Adrianna Mendrek, Professor, Psychology Department, Bishop’s University Why do we stop dancing when we grow up? Why do we disconnect and alienate ourselves from the body? It is surprising to me […]
The Weird and Wonderful THEREMIN
The theremin is a device that turns your body into part capacitor and allows you to play music without touching the instrument! The theremin was invented in 1919 by a Russian physicist named Lev Termen (aka Leon Theremin) who arrived in the United States in the early 1920’s to promote his invention. In 1938 Leon Theremin […]
The pipe organ – more than a church instrument
Theo van Wyk, Associate Professor of Music, University of Pretoria Unlike most musical instruments, the pipe organ is commonly defined by the place where it’s often played: church. And people seem to think of organists as reclusive creatures in the lofts of basilicas and cathedrals. The pipe organ is a musical instrument that creates sound […]
Dancing the TANGO
The exact origins of tango – both the dance and the word itself – are lost in myth and an unrecorded history. The generally accepted theory is that in the mid-1800s, the African slaves who had been brought to Argentina or their descendants began to influence the local culture. The word “tango” may be straightforwardly […]
National Institute on Drug Abuse Dopamine fasting: the latest craze in Silicon Valley
Ciara McCabe, Associate Professor, University of Reading It’s the latest fad in Silicon Valley. By reducing the brain’s feel-good chemical known as dopamine – cutting back on things like food, sex, alcohol, social media and technology – followers believe that they can “reset” the brain to be more effective and appreciate simple things more easily. […]
Dancing through Time
Argentine Tango – The antique Argentine Tango was influenced by the Tango Habanera, which bears no resemblance to the Argentine Tango we know today. Argentine Tango History – Milonga and Argentine Tango history by Mike Higgins. When talking about the history of the Tango, the reader should consider that although their were many ‘influences’ […]
Growing Tasty Tomatoes
Life is a Garden There is just nothing to beat tomatoes for taste, variety and satisfaction. They are easy to grow but need more care than most other vegetables. Any sign of insect activity or disease affecting tomatoes needs to be dealt with immediately, otherwise the harvest is affected. Indeterminate varieties need pinching and staking and even […]
Collaboration pushes frontiers of anti-malaria drug regimes
Kelly Chibale, Professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Cape Town and Richard Gordon, Executive Director of the Grants, Innovation and Product Development Unit, South African Medical Research Council More than 200 million people around the world suffered from malaria in 2017. Over 400,000 died. The vast majority – around 90% – were in Africa, where […]
Your brain on sugar, what science says
Amy Reichelt, BrainsCAN Research Associate, Western University We love sweet treats. But too much sugar in our diets can lead to weight gain and obesity, Type 2 diabetes and dental decay. We know we shouldn’t be eating candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes and drinking sugary sodas, but sometimes they are so hard to resist. It’s […]